So Easy and Yummy

Chopped, is So Louise... have you watched it? It's on the Food Network. I love it, all the weird and wonderful ingredients and watching the way the chefs put things together.

A lot of my creations come about in that sort of way; I sometimes buy a random ingredient or two.(Mostly 'cause they look cool) but most of the time, I haven't used all of something and it's about to start growing hair and try to escape from my fridge. (Please someone tell me they also have this problem.)

So Louise... this is how my Roasted Tomato Chilli Jam came about. There was a "buy two get R10 off special", so I ended up having way too many Cherry Tomatoes and they needed attention ( they were far from growing hair, promise.)

The ingredients I use are:
500g Cherry Tomatoes

2 whole cloves of Garlic (paper stuff off)

2 Red Chilli seeded and finely chopped ( when working with chilli's rub some veg oil on your fingers first,then when you wash your hands, soap then water! All the chilli washes away)

1 thumb size Ginger peeled and sliced

1 Cinnamon stick 

3 Lime leaves and 

A good drizzle of Olive oil.

half a tsp Salt

Then I put all the above in a baking dish and bake at 180 degrees of about 30-45min.I mix mine around after 20min.The Tomatoes will go all wrinkly and the Garlic will go soft.

In a pot on medium heat I put:

150 ml Red Wine Vinegar

200ml Sugar. (if you are wanting a healthier way 1 cup of Apple puree)

Put the Red Wine Vinegar and Sugar onto a pot on a high heat and stir until all the Sugar is disolved. (if using Apple mix until hot.)

Take your Tomatoes out the oven and go fishing in the baking dish and take out all hard bits, the Ginger, Cinnamon stick and Lime leaves. Add your Roasted Tomatoes to the Vinegar mix. Let this come to a slow boil giving it the odd stir, until it has become syrupy. ( take some of the Jam out with a teaspoon and let it cool to see how syrupy it is.)

Transfer to sterilized jar or jars and let cool completely, I add the Cinnamon stick back at this point. These ingredients make one medium jar or two small jars.

My Roasted Tomato Chilli Jam is bea-u-tiful on cheese or even heated up again and added to a good cut of steak. It has just the right amount it bite (I myself am not a big chilli eater) and as I said in my last post this makes a lovely gift. Tonight I'm going to make Garlic Butterbean Mash, Mushrooms, Red Wine marinated organic Kudu steak and top it with my Roasted Tomato Chilli Jam.  

I hope you have enjoyed this and that it might inspire you to use those ingredients that may need some attention. If you dont have all the ingredients, get your brave on and try adding something that you might have in your cupboard or fridge...and please let me know how it works out. 

Next time, I'm going to make Wonton's... wrappers and all.  They are not as difficult to do as you may think and super versatile.

Till next time

xoxo So Louise